Ahead of BJP national president Amit Shah's visit to Bengaluru next week, the ruling Congress in Karnataka directly blamed the BJP for creating communal tension in the State. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah not only blamed the BJP for conspiring and vitiating communal harmony in Karnataka but also for obstructing the smooth functioning of his Government. Addressing a gathering of Congress party workers in Bengaluru on Sunday Siddaramaiah warned the BJP and said, "We would face the challenge."
Warning that the State Government will deal with iron fist against any individuals or organisations trying to rake up the communal feelings, he said, "We will go extra mile to maintain peace and tranquility in the society. The Congress would never compromise of its ideals of creating pluralistic society and secularism." For the Congress in the ongoing political process where the BJP under PM Narendra Modi has been conquering seats everywhere, Karnataka has become very important. Siddaramaiah who is playing the backward classes politics at the hilt has been a saver for the party. At the time the State BJP, under Amit Shah, is looking ahead to consolidate its position in the State which has provided the first saffron Government in the south under lingayat leader BS Yeddyurappa, the Congress has strategically started blaming the BJP for playing communal card in the State.
Siddaramaiah blamed the BJP for their hidden agenda and charged "The BJP has no faith in secular and pluralistic society". Siddaramaiah also said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his over seven months of rule at the Center seems to be ushering all powers in his hand. He said, "We are witnessing a situation where the political power is being Centralised". Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not talking about the plight of farmers and downtrodden he said, "Presently, the political power is seems to be in the hands of few who are do not belong to the lower strata of the society".
Criticising the Union Government for not extending financial support to go for market intervention when the price of the foodgrains are falling, he said that "Except fixing the Minimum Support Price did nothing to help the State Governments to procure farm products". He also blamed the Centre for treating non-BJP Governments differently.
CM Siddaramaiah addressing a Muslim Conference at Bhatkal a coastal town recently had said, "There are some miscreants in the State who are trying to spread mischief and violence between two communities. Minorities in the State should not harbour any fear for them as our Government will deal with them with an iron hand".